Adjustable Placket Closure System

Abstract

An adjustable placket closure system is attached to a device at a placket formed in the material of the device. First and second fasteners of the closure system attach to the first and second sides of the placket at the placket opening, and each may include releasable portion(s) and fixed portion(s) thereof. The releasable portions of the fasteners are selectively released from the placket sides to provide access beneath the device without disengaging the fixed portions, opening the entire placket or removing the device. The device may be a medical device or garment. An access slit provided in the garment accommodates a medical tube apparatus, such as a central line, and passes the tube through the garment. This system may further be used on other materials and containers beyond garments, such as adaptive clothing and bags.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustable placket closure system, comprising:
 a placket being an opening formed in one or more pieces of material and defining a first placket side on one side of said opening and a second placket side on an opposite side of said opening;   a first fastener attached to said first placket side and having a fixed portion along at least a portion of said first fastener fixedly attached to said first placket side;   a second fastener attached to said second placket side and having a fixed portion along at least a portion of said second fastener fixedly attached to said second placket side;   at least one of:
 (i) said first fastener having a releasable portion along at least a portion of said first fastener releasably attached to said first placket side, and 
 (ii) said second fastener having a releasable portion along at least a portion of said second fastener releasably attached to said second placket side; and 
   said first fastener being correspondingly configured and selectively attachable to said second fastener.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable placket closure system of  claim 1 , wherein said first fastener comprises both said releasable portion and said fixed portion attached to said first placket side. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable placket closure system of  claim 2 , wherein said second fastener comprises both said releasable portion and said fixed portion attached to said second placket side. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable placket closure system of  claim 2 , wherein said second fastener consists of said fixed portion. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable placket closure system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one access slit formed in said material, said access slit having a terminal end at said placket opening; and   at least one finger formed of said material and defined between said at least one access slit and an end of said material;   wherein said at least one finger and said at least one access slit are located on at least one of said one or more pieces of material having said releasable portion.   
     
     
         6 . The adjustable placket closure system of  claim 5 , wherein said at least one access slit is continuous with said placket opening. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable placket closure system of  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of access slits formed in said material, a first finger defined between one of said plurality of access slits and an end of said material, and a second finger defined between adjacent ones of said plurality of access slits. 
     
     
         8 . The adjustable placket closure system of  claim 1 , wherein said first fastener and said second fastener collectively define one of a zipper, buttons, snaps, a magnetic closure, and hook-and-loop fasteners. 
     
     
         9 . The adjustable placket closure system of  claim 1 , further comprising a releasable attachment mechanism between said releasable portion and said placket, selectively joining said releasable portion to said placket. 
     
     
         10 . The adjustable placket closure system of  claim 9 , wherein said releasable attachment mechanism is one of a zipper, buttons, snaps, a magnetic closure, and hook-and-loop fasteners. 
     
     
         11 . A device, comprising:
 the adjustable placket closure system of  claim 1 , wherein said device comprises said material, said placket is formed in said material of said device, and said first and second fasteners are mounted to said placket of said device.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said device is a garment being one of a vest, a wrap, a band, a garment suitable for wearing by a user, an adaptive garment, and a medical garment. 
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 12 , further comprising at least one access slit formed in said material and having a terminal end at said placket such that said at least one access slit is continuous with said placket opening; and
 at least one finger formed of said material and defined between said at least one access slit and an end of said material.   
     
     
         14 . The garment of  claim 13 , wherein said releasable portion of at least one of said first and second fasteners is disposed in proximity to said at least one access slit. 
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of access slits formed in said material, a first finger defined between one of said plurality of access slits and an end of said material, and a second finger defined between adjacent ones of said plurality of access slits. 
     
     
         16 . The garment of  claim 12 , wherein said garment is a vest having at least a neck and said first and second fasteners extend from said neck at one of (i) substantially perpendicular to said neck of said vest and (ii) an oblique angle relative to said neck of said vest. 
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 12 , further comprising at least one of (i) at least one rear fastener disposed proximate to a back of said user when said garment is worn, and at least one shoulder fastener disposed proximate to a shoulder of said user when said garment is worn and (ii) at least one detachable fastener element mounted to said material of said garment in proximity to at least one access slit formed in said material, securing a medical tubing to said garment. 
     
     
         18 . The garment of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of said at least one rear fastener and said at least one shoulder fastener is selectively adjustable. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said device is one of a bag, a backpack, luggage, a pouch, a pocket, a purse, a wallet, a messenger bag, a tote bag, a rucksack, a container, or an accessory. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , further comprising a pocket accessible through at least one of (i) said first placket side and said second placket side and (ii) said placket and said releasable portion, said pocket being selectively sealed by at least one of (iii) said first fastener and said second fastener and (iv) said releasable attachment mechanism. 
     
     
         21 . A method of using a garment having an adjustable placket closure system, said method comprising:
 providing the garment of  claim 12 ;   placing said garment on a user;   connecting said first fastener to said second fastener;   selectively detaching said releasable portion of at least one of said first and second fasteners from said garment;   at least one of: (i) inserting a medical tubing through an access slit in said garment, (ii) manipulating said medical tubing extending through an access slit in said garment, and (iii) removing said medical tubing from said access slit in said garment; and   reattaching said releasable portion of said at least one of said first and second fasteners to said garment.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising, when said releasable portion is detached from said garment, manipulating a finger formed in said garment by said access slit extending from at least one of said first placket side and said second placket side adjacent to said releasable portion.